Rangers 3, Red Sox 1
BOSTON -- Veteran left-hander Wandy Rodriguez, signed by Texas as a free agent on the eve of the season, pitched another strong game in helping the Rangers to a 3-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night.
Making his sixth start for the Rangers after putting in time in the minors, Rodriguez allowed one run on four hits in 6 2/3 innings. Rebounding from a poor start his previous outing, Rodriguez (2-2) allowed just one run for the fourth time in his six appearances.
Rodriguez, whose ERA dropped from 3.86 to 3.38, also made a key defensive play, shoveling the ball home with his glove to nail second baseman Dustin Pedroia in the fourth inning.
Keone Kela relieved and took it through the eighth (three strikeouts in four outs) before right-hander Shawn Tolleson worked a scoreless ninth for his second save in as many nights (and in his career).
The Rangers (18-23) won the series 2-1 and also won for the eighth time in their past 11 road games.
First baseman Mitch Moreland hit a solo homer, added two singles and drove in two runs to make a hard-luck loser of right-hander Clay Buchholz (2-5), who turned in the latest solid pitching performance wasted by the sagging Red Sox bats.
Buchholz went 7 1/3 innings and became the third Boston starter in the series to yield two earned runs. Overall, he allowed three runs on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Boston starters pitched to a 2.00 ERA over the past eight games, but the offense has been quiet, leading to a 4-4 mark in that span.
Shortstop Xander Bogaerts had two hits for the Red Sox (19-22), but also he had a would-be hit nick him on the foot for an interference out while he was running the bases.
The Red Sox's average with runners in scoring position fell to .199.
Texas right fielder Shin-Soo Choo opened the game with a single and took second on a bunt single by left fielder Delino DeShields. The runners moved up on designated hitter Prince Fielder's long flyout, and third baseman Adrian Beltre walked to load the bases.
Moreland then hit a grounder to second that was probably too slow for a double play. Pedroia's throw was wide to Bogaerts, who caught the ball and barely kept his foot on the base. However, he lost the ball on the transfer and the second run scored.
Moreland homered with one out in the fourth to boost the Rangers' lead to 3-1.
The Red Sox got a run back in the bottom of the inning and probably should have had more.
Center fielder Mookie Betts opened with a single and advanced to third on Pedroia's double. Designated hitter David Ortiz got the run in with a groundout that also moved Pedroia to third. Left fielder Hanley Ramirez hit a topper in front of the plate that Rodriguez charged and nailed Pedroia at the plate with a flip out of his glove.
NOTES: Red Sox 3B Pablo Sandoval, who sustained a bruised left knee when he was hit by a fastball Tuesday, then sat out Wednesday, struck out as a pinch hitter Thursday. ... RF Shave Victorino was out of the Boston lineup because of sore calf and general soreness. ... Texas backup C Carlos Corporan caught LHP Wandy Rodriguez, his former Houston Astros teammate, for the sixth consecutive time. ... The Rangers move on to New York, where RHP Colby Lewis will face the Yankees in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night. The Red Sox have RHP Rick Porcello going against Los Angeles Angels RHP Garrett Richards in the first of three at Fenway Park. ... Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart threw out the first pitch. ... Thursday was Luis Tiant bobblehead night at Fenway.